Mozart Concerto Tops Evening of Dances

Familiar dance suites by Bartok and Kodaly surrounded equally popular music by Mozart on the first program in the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s two-concert visit to Hollywood Bowl on Thursday night. The second will be given Tuesday, when the ensemble’s music director Jeffrey Kahane again conducts and the horn soloist is Richard Todd.

Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances and Kodaly’s Dances of Galanta showed the chamber orchestra players at their most accomplished, particularly the Galanta suite, which demands virtuosic playing from the entire ensemble. Here, the idiomatic and soulful clarinet solo from principal Gary Gray was especially delightful.

Mozart ruled the evening, first in pianist-conductor Kahane’s at-once bold and seraphic performance of the Piano Concerto in E-flat, K. 482. Kahane’s world-class technical and musical accomplishments are justifiably admired. His musicianship was more mellow and conversational than usual, with no loss of urgency in sweep and spontaneity.

The thrill lies as much in the sounds as in the music-making. Kahane produces phrasing and musical paragraphs that sing and speak and articulate thoughts that cannot be translated into words. Effortless passagework and purling pianistic qualities are Kahane’s trademarks. Long may he play.

The concerto was followed by a lively performance of the Six German Dances, K. 600.

L.A. Chamber Orchestra, Tuesday, 8 p.m., Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, $1-$76. (323) 850-2000.